Qatar Unveils New Tourism Master Plan

The state of Qatar has unveiled an ambitious, new tourism master plan that will guide a US$15 billion investment into an array of prestigious projects and establish Qatar as a high quality destination for cultural tourism, beach resorts, shopping, lifestyle, business and sports events. Qatar Tourism Authority chairman and Qatar Airways' chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker unveiled the new Qatar Tourism Master plan recently at the fourth Global Travel and Tourism Summit in Doha. Al Baker was joined by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) chairman Vincent Wolfington and president Jean-Claude Baumgarten.

"The initiatives in this new tourism master plan will position Qatar as a leading high-quality tourism destination, in accord with the forward thinking vision of our country's leader, HH Shiekh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Qatar will offer the high end tourist market with a fantastic travel experience combining beach resorts, sun, expansive desert landscapes, a rich Arabic cultural heritage, prestigious hotels and extensive conference facilities, and major international sporting events - all in a very safe environment. We expect that tourism growth will more than double in the next six years, from the 400,000 visitors that presently visit Qatar, to more than one million tourists in 2010. Qatar and its partners will be investing US$15 billion into new tourism infrastructure, in what represents one of the largest investments in tourism facilities in this region," revealed Baker.

Adding further Baker said, "There will be significant investment in cultural facilities that will open the doorway to our Qatari culture, including a new landmark Public Library, a Museum of Islamic Arts, the promotion of Qatar's many historic forts and the redevelopment of Qatar's National Museum. These projects are already progressing under the auspices of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage. In addition, Qatar is successfully creating a major cultural festival of international repute. This festival of culture, entertainment and education showcases Qatar's heritage as well as its modern vision. The creation of luxury lifestyle cities is a major new initiative. The first such project, Pearl of the Gulf, was announced last month. The next such project which we are proud to announce is the North Beach Development. This project will complement the Pearl of the Gulf and will feature a number of new features such as a dedicated family entertainment district that will provide both daytime and nighttime attractions for residents and tourists alike."

On the hospitality front, Baker disclosed that, "We expect that eight new four- and five-star hotels will open by mid- 2006. The hotels include Four Seasons (235 rooms), to be opened by late 2004; the Pearl Island hotels (900 + rooms), which will open in late 2005; the Marriott Courtyard (200 rooms), to open in mid-2006; Marriott Apartments (120 units), to open in mid-2006; the Renaissance Hotel (250 rooms), to open in mid-2006; The Shangri-la (250 rooms), to open in mid-2006; the Hilton (320 rooms), to open in mid-2006; and the Rotana (277 rooms), to open in mid 2006. These new hotels will increase hotel accommodation in the country by a massive 2550 rooms. There will also be new conference facilities complementing the extensive conference facilities that already exist in Doha. We expect Doha will become a major international Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) destination."